Quincy Jones and Claude Nobs – Photo Facebook Montreux Jazz Festival
The musician and former producer of Michael Jackson has died at the age of 91. He was a regular at Montreux.
The man who was considered one of the greatest music producers in the world had also collaborated with Franck Sinatra and Ray Charles before launching the solo career of the king of pop. Quincy Jones was also a regular at the Montreux festival since 1991, when he became co-producer.
Photo Facebook Montreux Jazz Festival
A friendly relationship with Claude Nobs
A great friend of Claude Nobs (the founder and former Director of the MJF who died in 2013), he came almost every year to the shores of Lake Geneva.
Photo Facebook Montreux Jazz Festival
The festival pays tribute to him and speaks of a “true legend, an infinite source of inspiration for generations of musicians around the world”. A tribute on stage will surely be organized for the next edition next summer.
The festival’s tribute:
It is with great emotion that the Montreux Jazz Festival today pays tribute to one of its heroes – a true legend, an infinite source of inspiration for generations of musicians around the world.
Quincy Jones loved surprising people and breaking boundaries. Style, age or nationality does not matter; only the quality of the music did it. Such open-mindedness was rare in the industry. To bring his wildest projects to life on stage, he could always count on his great friend, his “brother from another mother”, Claude Nobs.
Every summer, for more than thirty years, the Montreux Jazz Festival was his second home. Behind the scenes, “Q” seemed tireless, always ready for a jam session, to meet a new artist or to keep the party going until dawn. Lenny Kravitz reminded us last summer during his concert: “I spent many fun nights in Montreux. Claude and Quincy put me to bed every night. Quincy Jones is not sleeping. ”
The story between Quincy and Montreux began in 1991 when he was named official co-producer for three years. For Claude, it was a huge dream come true, marking the beginning of a close and brotherly friendship. This collaboration opened with a masterstroke: they managed to convince Miles Davis to revisit major works from his past in Montreux – a feat he had always refused until then. Directed by Quincy Jones, this legendary concert would be one of Miles’ last, as he died a few months later. The album won a Grammy Award.
Throughout the 2000s, Quincy Jones organized many grandiose and exclusive nights for Montreux, bringing together incredible musicians from all continents and generations. After Claude’s death in 2013, Quincy continued to come to Montreux every summer, continuing his role as ambassador with all his passion and genius.
Quincy Jones will forever mark the history of Montreux and the hearts of all those who were lucky enough to meet him there. We will greatly miss his laughter, his wild stories, his travel tales, his enthusiasm for life and his generosity.
Thanks for everything, Quincy.
You were our hero.
